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Sixty-five percent of India's population is within the age group of Nazarene Youth International, the youth ministry of the Church of the Nazarene denomination. This fact gives the church in India a historic opportunity to minister to youth and raise up a new generation of young Christian leaders in a culture where another religion is pervasive, and at times and in some places, Christian youth may face discrimination or persecution. 

To kick-off a yearlong emphasis on NYI in the India Field, in early May, Eurasia Region NYI Coordinator Diego Lopez met with the field’s NYI council in Nagpur, India. Eleven of the 14 council members were represented and gave their reports. 

The objective of the meetings was for Lopez to learn how NYI functions in India, understand the field council’s goals and vision, and learn about challenges they are working to overcome. Lopez also sought to share a vision for India youth to become missionally involved in their communities and among youth who do not yet know Jesus Christ. 

“Their vision is to grow,” Lopez said. “They are very excited about being missionaries and gathering together with other people. One of my impressions is very encouraged to see how well the NYI structure is working in most parts of India, from the local church to the district, to the field.”

Vijay Bhalerao, an NYI district representative to the field council, enjoyed the time with Lopez.

“Diego made it very lively for us,” Bhalerao said. “Beginning we had a hearing from every one of the participants on the question, ‘Why are you in the youth ministry?’ There were several interesting and encouraging answers. Diego also gave some important demonstrations on understanding the persons. He also gave us a demonstration in groups of three on ‘How does a leader look like?’” 

Meeting outcomes included: 

• Plans for a centralized training to equip youth to host conferences locally 
• Rethinking the field-level NYC, instead planning smaller, more frequent conferences in more localized settings 
• Strategizing how to bring more youth to the Eurasia Region conference in October to the NYI meetings afterward

Other discussion items were Bible quizzing, district camps, a leadership training program, a mission trip to Nepal, volunteering in short-term missions across the Eurasia Region through M-Power, connecting through social media, and sharing their stories through communication efforts. 

The NYI of India also raised 19,000 rupees for the wife and child of Biprosh Devsharma, a JESUS Film team member who died earlier this year after falling off a roof at a JESUS Film showing. Devsharma had been a longtime NYI member in India. 

Thangchinkhup Singson, an NYI district representative, said the value of the meeting for him was sharing his district NYI ministry with other district NYI leaders, and they also shared with him.

“This encouraged and strengthened me,” he said. “Knowing each others’ situation in leading the youth gives more creative ideas to grow the younger generation in Christ.” 

Bhalerao also appreciated the fellowship.

“Overall, these two days were a great time of coming together as youth leaders and seriously think about the NYI work in each one of our districts to lead the youth,” Bhalerao said. “It was also a great time of making friendship with each other and get to know each other. At the end we felt it was a very short time and it would have been great if we would have got more time of fellowship and sharing together. Everyone went with the feeling that I will lead my youth on the path of Jesus Christ.”

--Church of the Nazarene Eurasia Region